Method and apparatus for providing a temporary utility zone in a disk drive

Abstract

A disk surface has a keep-out region and a certified region. A transducer associated with the disk surface writes servo information in the keep-out region under control of a servo track writer. The transducer then writes data in a temporary utility zone in the keep-out region. Next, a self-servo write operation uses data in the temporary utility zone to write servo information in the certified region. Thereafter, data is transferred from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region.

1. A method comprising:
 providing a disk surface and a transducer that writes to the disk surface, wherein the disk surface includes a keep-out region and a certified region, the keep-out region is prohibited from storing customer data and the certified region is for storing customer data; and 
 writing a temporary utility zone in the keep-out region. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further including performing a self-servo write operation to write servo information in the certified region using data from the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further including writing data associated with the self-servo write operation in the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the data associated with the self-servo write operation includes bad sector data. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further including transferring the bad sector data from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further including transferring data from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein less than all of the data in the temporary utility zone is transferred to the final utility zone. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  wherein the temporary utility zone includes tracks written according to a first servo writing operation and the final utility zone includes tracks written according to a second servo writing operation different from the first servo writing operation. 
     
     
       9. the method of  claim 8  wherein a discontinuity exists between the temporary utility zone and the final utility zone. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 providing a disk surface and a transducer that writes to the disk surface, wherein the disk surface has a discontinuity that defines a first region and a second region on the disk surface; 
 writing a temporary utility zone in the first region; 
 performing a self-servo write operation to write servo information in the second region using data from the temporary utility zone; 
 writing data associated with the self-servo write operation in the temporary utility zone; and 
 transferring data from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the second region. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  wherein the writing data step is characterized by writing bad sector data to the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the data transferred from the temporary utility zone to the final utility zone includes the bad sector data. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein less than all of the data in the temporary utility zone is transferred to the final utility zone. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10  wherein the first region is written using a servo track writer. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10  wherein the discontinuity extends substantially about a radius of the disk surface. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus comprising:
 a disk surface and a transducer that writes to the disk surface, wherein the disk surface includes a keep-out region and a certified region, the keep-out region is prohibited from storing customer data and the certified region is for storing customer data; and 
 a temporary utility zone written in the keep-out region. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  further including servo information that has been self-servo written in the certified region using data from the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein data associated with the self-servo write operation is written in the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the data associated with the self servo write operation includes bad sector data. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the bad sector data is transferred from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein data is transferred from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein less than all of the data in the temporary utility zone is transferred to the final utility zone. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the temporary utility zone includes tracks written according to a first servo writing operation and the final utility zone includes tracks written according to a second servo writing operation different from the first servo writing operation. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23  further including a discontinuity between the temporary utility zone and the final utility zone. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus comprising:
 a disk surface and a transducer that writes to the disk surface, wherein the disk surface has a discontinuity that defines a first region and a second region on the disk surface; 
 a temporary utility zone written in the first region, wherein a self-servo write operation writes servo information in the second region using the transducer and using data from the temporary utility zone, and wherein data associated with the self-servo write operation is written in the temporary utility zone; and 
 transferring data from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the second region. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the data written to the temporary utility zone comprises bad sector data. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein the data transferred from the temporary utility zone to the final utility zone includes the bad sector data. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein less than all of the data in the temporary utility zone is transferred to the final utility zone. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the first region is written using a servo track writer. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the discontinuity extends substantially about a radius of the disk surface. 
     
     
       31. In a disk drive that includes a disk and a transducer that reads from and writes to the disk, wherein the disk includes a keep-out region and a certified region, the keep-out region is reserved for disk slip and is prohibited from storing customer data, and the certified region is not reserved for disk slip and is designated for storing customer data, a method of operating the disk drive, comprising:
 writing data in a temporary utility zone in the keep-out region using the transducer; 
 reading the data from the temporary utility zone using the transducer, and 
 self-servo writing final servo information in the certified region using the transducer and the data read from the temporary utility zone. 
 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an inner diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the inner diameter. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an outer diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the outer diameter. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the data includes self-servo writing instructions. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the data includes diagnostic information. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 31 , including writing final servo information in the keep-out region using the transducer, and then writing the data in the temporary utility zone using the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 36 , wherein the final servo information in the keep-out region is radially incoherent with the final servo information in the certified region, thereby creating a discontinuity on the disk. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 37 , wherein the discontinuity is due to writing the final servo information in the keep-out region and the final servo information in the certified region under different environmental conditions. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 37 , wherein the discontinuity extends substantially about a radius of the disk. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 36 , excluding writing final servo information in the certified region before writing the data in the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 31 , including writing temporary servo information in the certified region using the transducer and a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive to position the transducer. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 41 , wherein the temporary servo information is arranged as spirals. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 41 , including self-servo writing the final servo information in the certified region using the temporary servo information to position the transducer. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 41 , including writing final servo information in the keep-out region using the transducer and the servo track writer to position the transducer. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 41 , excluding writing temporary servo information in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 41 , including writing final servo information in the keep-out region using the transducer and a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive to position the transducer. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 46 , including writing the data in the temporary utility zone using the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer, and reading the data from the temporary utility zone using the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer. 
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 47 , wherein the data includes self-servo writing instructions. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 47 , wherein the data includes diagnostic information. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 46 , excluding writing final servo information in the certified region using the servo track writer. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 31 , including:
 writing temporary servo information in the certified region using the transducer and a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive to position the transducer; 
 writing final servo information in the keep-out region using the transducer and the servo track writer to position the transducer; 
 writing the data in the temporary utility zone using the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; 
 reading the data from the temporary utility zone using the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; and 
 self-servo writing the final servo information in the certified region using the temporary servo information to position the transducer. 
 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 51 , wherein the temporary servo information is arranged as spirals. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 51 , wherein the data includes self-servo writing instructions. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 51 , wherein the data includes diagnostic information. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 51 , including writing final servo information in the certified region using the transducer and the servo track writer to position the transducer. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 55 , including self-servo writing the final servo information in the certified region to overwrite the final servo information written in the certified region using the servo track writer. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 51 , including:
 writing the temporary servo information and the final servo information using the servo track writer while the disk drive is located at a first station; and then 
 writing the data and self-servo writing the final servo information while the disk drive is located at a second station. 
 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 51 , including:
 writing the temporary servo information and the final servo information using the servo track writer while the disk drive is located at a first station; then 
 writing the data while the disk drive is located at a second station; and then 
 self-servo writing the final servo information while the disk is located at a third station. 
 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 51 , excluding writing temporary servo information in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 51 , excluding writing final servo information in the certified region using the servo track writer. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 31 , including transferring data from the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region after self-servo writing the final servo information in the certified region. 
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 61 , wherein the transferred data includes bad sector data. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 61 , wherein the transferred data excludes other data in the temporary utility zone. 
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 63 , wherein the temporary utility zone is larger than the final utility zone. 
     
     
       65. The method of  claim 61 , including transferring the data during manufacture of the disk drive, and then delivering the disk drive to a customer. 
     
     
       66. The method of  claim 31 , including writing final servo information in the keep-out region using a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive, and excluding self-servo writing final servo information in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       67. The method of  claim 31 , including bumping the disk drive to cause disk slip, thereby rendering data inaccessible in the keep-out region without rendering data inaccessible in the certified region. 
     
     
       68. The method of  claim 31 , including transferring customer data between the disk drive and a host computer during read and write operations. 
     
     
       69. The method of  claim 31 , including performing the self-servo-writing during manufacture of the disk drive, then delivering the disk drive to a customer, and then writing customer data in the certified region and excluding writing customer data in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       70. The method of  claim 31 , including performing the self-servo-writing during manufacture of the disk drive, then delivering the disk drive to a customer, and then writing customer data in the certified region and excluding writing customer data in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       71. In a disk drive that includes a disk and a transducer that reads from and writes to the disk, wherein the disk includes a keep-out region and a certified region, the keep-out region is reserved for disk slip and is prohibited from storing customer data, and the certified region is not reserved for disk slip and is designated for storing customer data, a method of operating the disk drive, comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:
 writing final servo information in the keep-out region and temporary servo information in the certified region using the transducer and a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive to position the transducer; 
 writing self-servo writing instructions in a temporary utility zone in the keep-out region using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; 
 reading the self-servo writing instructions from the temporary utility zone using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; 
 self-servo writing final servo information in the certified region using the transducer, the temporary servo information to position the transducer and the self-servo writing instructions read from the temporary utility zone; and 
 transferring data in the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region and the certified region to position the transducer. 
 
     
     
       72. The method of  claim 71 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an inner diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the inner diameter. 
     
     
       73. The method of  claim 71 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an outer diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the outer diameter. 
     
     
       74. The method of  claim 71 , wherein the final servo information in the keep-out region is radially incoherent with the final servo information in the certified region, thereby creating a discontinuity on the disk that extends substantially about a radius of the disk. 
     
     
       75. The method of  claim 71 , wherein the temporary servo information is arranged as spirals. 
     
     
       76. The method of  claim 71 , wherein the transferred data includes bad sector data. 
     
     
       77. The method of  claim 71 , including bumping the disk drive to cause disk slip, thereby rendering data inaccessible in the keep-out region without rendering data inaccessible in the certified region. 
     
     
       78. The method of  claim 71 , excluding writing customer data in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       79. The method of  claim 71 , excluding writing temporary servo information in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       80. The method of  claim 71 , excluding writing final servo information in the certified region using the servo track writer. 
     
     
       81. In a disk drive that includes a disk and a transducer that reads from and writes to the disk, wherein the disk includes a keep-out region and a certified region, the keep-out region is reserved for disk slip and is prohibited from storing customer data, and the certified region is not reserved for disk slip and is designated for storing customer data, a method of operating the disk drive, comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:
 writing final servo information in the keep-out region and temporary servo information in the certified region using the transducer and a servo track writer that is external to the disk drive to position the transducer; 
 writing self-servo writing instructions in a temporary utility zone in the keep-out region using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; 
 reading the self-servo writing instructions from the temporary utility zone using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region to position the transducer; 
 self-servo writing final servo information in the certified region using the transducer, the temporary servo information to position the transducer and the self-servo writing instructions read from the temporary utility zone; 
 transferring data in the temporary utility zone to a final utility zone in the certified region using the transducer and the final servo information in the keep-out region and the certified region to position the transducer; 
 delivering the disk drive to a customer; 
 writing customer data in the certified region using the transducer and the final servo information in the certified region to position the transducer; 
 reading customer data from the certified region using the transducer and the final servo information in the certified region to position the transducer; and 
 prohibiting writing customer data in the keep-out region. 
 
     
     
       82. The method of  claim 81 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an inner diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the inner diameter. 
     
     
       83. The method of  claim 81 , wherein the keep-out zone is located at an outer diameter of the disk and between the certified region and the outer diameter. 
     
     
       84. The method of  claim 81 , wherein the final servo information in the keep-out region is radially incoherent with the final servo information in the certified region, thereby creating a discontinuity on the disk that extends substantially about a radius of the disk. 
     
     
       85. The method of  claim 81 , wherein the temporary servo information is arranged as spirals. 
     
     
       86. The method of  claim 81 , wherein the transferred data includes bad sector data. 
     
     
       87. The method of  claim 81 , including bumping the disk drive to cause disk slip, thereby rendering data inaccessible in the keep-out region without rendering data inaccessible in the certified region. 
     
     
       88. The method of  claim 81 , excluding reading customer data from the keep-out region. 
     
     
       89. The method of  claim 81 , excluding writing temporary servo information in the keep-out region. 
     
     
       90. The method of  claim 81 , excluding writing final servo information in the certified region using the servo track writer.